


Mandatory Counselling

by AConcordo



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Character Development, Character Study, F/F, F/M, Pre-Supergirl Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-16 09:29:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5823379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AConcordo/pseuds/AConcordo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In counselling, confidentiality is typically ensured with the exception of suicide, homicide, child abuse and in the rare case of court subpoenas. So, what happens when the client is Supergirl? Kara Zor-El is many things, and typical is not one of them. Post-Red Faced, before Kara returns to the office and realizes she’s lost her powers. The DEO forces Supergirl to undergo counselling to ensure she is mentally and emotionally capable of returning to work in the field. OC POV. -- Work in Progress. Graduate school is killing me slowly. --</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mandatory Counselling

**Author's Note:**

> That time General Lane decided to send Supergirl to mandatory counselling, Director Henshaw stepped in to request for a suitable therapist, and Alex decided to prep her sister on what to expect during an intake session.

**_Client Name:_ ** _Supergirl_

 **_Reported presenting concern (according to referrals):_ ** _Anger management_

 **_Referrals:_ ** _General Samuel Lane & Director Hank Henshaw_

 **_Purpose of counselling :_ ** _Ensure client is fit to return to duty. Specifically: will not endanger others._

 -oOoOo-

She snapped the file shut and leaned back on her chair. It was Sunday morning, 6am. On an average weekend, she would still be in bed, fast asleep, but this wasn’t an average weekend. No, the last few days had been hectic, to say the least. A number of military officers had stormed her office during a session and demanded to speak to her with no consideration for her client. She was fifteen minutes away from finishing the session when it happened. It was beyond frustrating; thank goodness it was her last client of the day.

After exchanging some vague, but very strongly phrased words, she had taken down the contact information of said officers. She then spent additional half hour on top of the typical fifty-minute session calming her client down, reassuring him that he wasn’t going to be arrested. Nor was he going crazy, and no, they would not be following him home, as they were there to talk to her.

In hindsight, she should have just kicked them out on the spot instead of taking the contact information. Months of work may have been ruined by their presence, and she wasn’t certain if her client planned to return. She certainly would not blame him if he never showed back up again. It was more so his mental well being that she was concerned about, but that was another thought to ponder over during another time.

Taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly, she acknowledged that if she had actually kicked the officers out without listening to them, she most likely wouldn’t be where she current was: inside the Department of Extra-Normal Operations. Or perhaps she would still be; the government could be difficult like that.

 A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts, and she rose from behind the desk to answer it. Making her way through the bare office, she reached the door and opened it. She blinked. Twice.

“Uh, hi. I hope I’m at the right place... I’m looking for a Doctor Bennet? Jane Bennet?”

“Hello,” she said, taking a step back and allowing the guest to enter, “I’m Doctor Jane Bennet. You must be Supergirl?”

It was a rhetorical question, as the red and blue outfit stood out like a sore thumb in the bland looking room, but Supergirl smiled weakly and nodded before glancing around the room and slowly entering.

The room looked boring. The walls, a creamy colour, were blank and undecorated, and the only furniture it contained were her desk, chair, and two couches positioned to face one another. Supergirl scanned the room a few times, probably looking for any possible threats, Jane decided, before she deemed it safe and turned to face the therapist. She had a look of hesitation; a few wrinkles and a light frown marred her forehead. Jane could sense the confusion in the room.

“Please, take a seat anywhere you feel comfortable. Is this your first time in counselling?” Jane asked while she walked to her desk to retrieve the necessary documents and a pen. When she turned, Supergirl was standing by a couch.

“Uh... yes.” Supergirl answered, not showing any indication that she was going to sit down. 

Jane walked over to the opposite couch, and gestured her hand towards the couch behind Supergirl. With a half second delay, the two of them sat down almost simultaneously.

“I understand that this can be confusing, or perhaps scary, so before we begin, would it be helpful for us to go through some documents to lay down the foundations for our time together?” 

The frown and winkles began to dissipate, and Supergirl nodded before answering, “yes, that would appreciated.”

Jane placed the stack of papers she had on the small coffee table between her and Supergirl, and pulled out the top two sheets. She held it out between the two of them so it was visible before continuing.

“I know Director Henshaw gave these to you to review and sign before our session, but I would like us to go through them again to make sure we’re both on the same page.” 

Supergirl nodded once more to indicate that she understood before Jane handed one of the signed copies over. 

“This is the informed consent and confidentiality form. It’s typically a contract between the client and counsellor that outlines how counselling may be like and—“ 

“Typically?” Supergirl cut in, her eyebrows raised slight as an indication of her confusion. 

“Yes, typically. Our situation is a bit more... complex as you were uh, referred or I guess I should say, requested, by the DEO to attend counselling.” Jane explained, taking note of the way Supergirl was responding.

The young woman – wait, what noun should Jane be using for Supergirl? Alien? Kryptonian? She tore her thoughts away from the sudden intrusion and focused her attention back on her client. Yes, client. That was a safe noun. Focusing her attention back to her client, Jane noted how Supergirl was coming off as more distant to her, as though there was a barrier between them. Jane was unsurprised. The majority of her clients acted similarly when they first showed up to their sessions. It was never nice to be forced to do something, never mind mandatory counselling.

“What does that mean, exactly?” Supergirl asked, bringing Jane back into the room. 

“It means there are a number of rules we have to abide by in addition to the usual confidentiality.”

“What kind of rules?”

“Firstly, you have to attend all sessions until you’ve been cleared to return to active duty—“

“By you, I presume?” Supergirl interrupted once more, with a look of neutrality, and Jane nodded her head in response. Supergirl mirrored her nod.

Silence fell in the room, and Jane took it as a sign to continue.

“Secondly, General Samuel Lane have requested for access to my case notes on you and to be briefed after each session—“

“ _He what?!_ ” Supergirl’s face shifted to anger for a brief moment before it returned to the initial blankness, and Jane paused before continuing once more.

“... however, Director Henshaw has overruled that request. Currently, he is the only other individual aside from the two of us who can legally access the case notes and—“

“Can you explain what these case notes are?” 

Jane riffled through her documents and pulled two more sheets out for her client: her intake form and her case note template. Supergirl glanced down at the two sheets, and spent a moment reading it. As she did, Jane took note of how Supergirl did not seem to mind knowing that Director Henshaw had access to her files. 

-oOoOo-

_Intake Form:_

**_1\. Presenting Concerns:  
_ ** **_(acute/chronic, duration, triggers, what helps, what worsens?, etc.)_ **

**_2\. Previous Counselling/Treatment:  
_ ** **_(helpful, unhelpful, where, when, what?)_ **

**_3\. Physical/Medical Information, Diagnoses, Medications, Family History:_ **

**_4\. Family:_ **  
**_(members, relationships, dynamics?)_**

 **_5\. Lifestyle:_ **  
**_(vocation/education, appetite, sleep, energy, drugs, alcohol?)_**

 **_6\. Support Network:  
_ ** **_(who, level of support?)_ **

**_7\. Trauma/Abuse/Significant Life Events/Legal Involvement:  
_ ** **_(car accident, witness or experienced crime, re-occurring?, etc.)_ **

**_8\. Suicide Ideation, Self Harm  
_ ** **_(past or current ideation, past attempt(s), protective factors, type/outcome of SH & frequency?) _ **

**_9\. Goals For Counselling:_ **

**_10\. Plans/Follow-up/Further Directions/Questions/Notes:_**  

-oOoOo-

The superhero flipped to the second page.

-oOoOo- 

_Client Name: ______________________

_Date: _____________________

_Session #: ____________________

_**S** ubjective or summary statement by client:_

 

_**O** bjective data or information that matches the subjective statement. Descriptions may include body language and affect:_

 

_**A** ssessment of the situation, the session, and the client, regardless of how obvious it might be based on the subjective and/or objective statements:_

 

_**P** lan for future clinical work. Should reflect interventions specified in treatment plan including homework assignments. Reflect follow-up needed or completed: _

 

_Jane Bennett, Psy.D  
_

-oOoOo-

Silence fell on the room again, and Jane sat back on the couch comfortably, waiting for her client to respond.

“Let me guess, you’re showing me this not to form trust, but because you know about my powers?” Supergirl placed the documents down on the coffee table between them, and looked up to stare Jane straight in the eyes. The curiosity and suspicion returned, the part that scanned the room carefully when she first walked in.

“Powers? No, not really. Just what I’ve seen on television or read in the news. If anything, you’re probably the expert on your own powers.” Jane responded, tossing the ball back into Supergirl’s court.

The young hero glanced down at the documents again, before taking a deep breath and looking back up.

“Were there any other rules?”

They were back to business.

“In addition to the informed consent and confidentiality? There are three mandatory sessions that you need to attend, anything beyond that will have to be reassessed, which is something we can cover once we go through everything—“

“It’s really not necessary. I know the protocol.” Supergirl cut off her once more, although something seemed to have shifted in the alien before her.

“I was briefed before coming. Anything I do or say will be analyzed and most likely documented by you. If I mention how I have plans to cause harm to myself or others, you are legally bound to report, and in the case of child abuse, you’re also bound to report. I shouldn’t use my powers during session because that’s like an invasion of privacy. I’m supposed to be honest with you and answer all your questions so that by the end of it, you’ll conclude that I’m fine, and we can wrap up. Realistically, this really shouldn’t take more than a few sessions.”

Supergirl sat back on the couch and looked away from Jane, her arms crossed and a look of annoyance on her face.

“That sounded fairly accurate... and also fairly rehearsed. I’m guessing this isn’t your first time in counselling?”

“N—Y—Like I said, I was briefed.”

Jane paused in her questioning, and took in the superhero that sat before her. Supergirl continued to away from her, refusing to make eye contact. Her arms were still crossed, wrapped around her in a defensive manner.

“I sense you’re on edge.” Jane expressed, watching carefully as Supergirl glanced back at her with a mild look of surprise. The crack in the mask dissipated quickly, and the blank face was back almost immediately.

“Why don’t we try something different?” Jane sat up and leaned forward. “Since you’ve already seen the questions I’ll be asking, why you don’t just... answer everything truthfully, and we can... wrap up, as you so kindly put it?”

“Really?” Supergirl was definitely surprised now. Jane’s words had caught her off guard; the therapist decided to roll with it.

“Yes, really. We’re supposed to have three sessions together, but so long as we finish everything, I don’t see why we can’t finish early. You’ll still have to come to the remaining two sessions though... otherwise the DEO will be suspicious. Maybe you can bring a book? Or help me decorate? Although I’m not too certain how long I’m supposed to be here for.”

Jane stopped talking and waited for Supergirl to respond. The offer was a bit of a gamble, sometimes it worked with her clients and sometimes it didn’t. Jane had a feeling she would be doing a lot of work this session; it was always challenging to build rapport when clients were forced to attend therapy. She found herself pleasantly surprised when Supergirl uncrossed her arms, picked up the intake form once more and began to speak.

“They think I have anger management issues, but I dealt with that already. Or at least, I dealt with it earlier. The Red Tornado was destroyed and I don’t feel angry anymore. Just tired, strangely enough.”

“Hmm,” Jane mumbled, nodding her head at Supergirl and urging her to continue.

“I attended counselling once here on Earth, but it was a really long time ago. I don’t really remember any of it now.” Supergirl trailed off, looking away for a few seconds as though deep in thought, before turning her attention back to the form in front of her.

“Health-wise, I’ve never been sick since I arrived here on Earth, although I do get sick around Kryptonite. That’s a radioactive substance from my home planet—which I’m sure the DEO already briefed you about.”

Jane remained silent, not showing any indication in her lack of knowledge about her client. She always preferred to have less information prior to entering an intake session. What was said and what wasn’t said told her a lot about her clients.

“My parents passed away when I was young, and I have a foster family. My foster dad passed away a number of years ago and it’s just been my foster mom and my sister and I.” Supergirl paused for a moment to breath deeply before continuing through the questions. Jane bookmarked the differentiation between Supergirl’s foster parents and sister.

“I work a full time job outside of being Supergirl, I have two friends there who know who I am, and help me when I need to run off to help the city. Drugs and alcohol don’t affect me. I tried when I was young and my metabolism worked too fast for anything to work. I witnessed my planet’s destruction when I was thirteen, and was expected to take are of my baby cousin once we landed here on Earth. Things didn’t go as planned though and I showed up twenty-four years later than he did.”

There was another pause, and this time Supergirl’s hands gripped the intake form tightly, rippling the paper gently before she loosened her grip and continued. It was a strange contrast, and once again, Jane bookmarked the information.

“Everyone knows him as Superman. I still know him as the baby I changed nappies for all those years ago. I haven’t really talked to him very much since I arrived and...” she tapered and seemed to lose steam before she coughed to clear her throat and continued.

“I’ve never tried to commit suicide, it’s not something that existed back on Krypton. Everyone was genetically modified to not have any predispositions for things like depression or anxiety here on Earth. Self-harming was sort of impossible since I’m pretty much indestructible. I can feel pain and be hurt though... the last few battles have taught me that… and…” She trailed off once more before looking up at making eye contact with Jane. “My goal for counselling is to prove to you I’m safe to return to duty.”

“Thank you, for sharing that with me,” Jane whispered, gesturing towards the intake form in an open manner with her hand wide open. “For your precision and speed. I get the feeling that your goal is something you care deeply about, and I truly hope in our short time together, we can work together towards achieving it.”

Supergirl nodded at Jane, and then remained silent before looking away, waiting for Jane to fill the dead space. Recognizing the discomfort on the superhero’s face, Jane decided to disclose some information about herself in hopes of building rapport.

“It’s often difficult to share information about ourselves to those around us, never mind a stranger, and especially knowing that some of this information may be accessible by others. I really do appreciate your trust in sharing with me the many different chapters of your past.”

Supergirl glanced back up at Jane, and the defensiveness that the therapist sensed moments ago seemed to dissipate slowly.

“It must have been really difficult adjusting to a new world, a new culture, with so many unfamiliar faces and concepts. I can’t imagine how it was like for you to experience all of that as a child.”

More silence. Then... there was a shift.

“I had help.” Supergirl admitted, glancing out towards the door, and then downwards at her hands. “My sister and foster parents helped a lot... and then, recently, the DEO.”

Jane nodded, and stayed silent, waiting for Supergirl to continue. The superhero continued to look away, deep in thought.

“I actually didn’t use a lot of my powers for a long time. My cousin wanted me to try and have a normal life.”

“Mmm, what changed?” Jane queried, probing for more information.

“My sister was in danger. I had to make sure she would be okay. It sort of opened the floodgates. Once I came out with my abilities, I was branded by Miss—uh, I was branded by Cat Grant, of CatCo. She made me Supergirl.”

“Wow,” Jane said, barely audible, “everything changed quite quickly there. One moment you were... whomever you are, out there in the world, and the next thing you know, you were Supergirl?”

“Something like that.” The superhero answered, looking away once more and crossing her arms again, effectively ending the conversation. Jane was familiar with non-verbal cues; she knew when to probe and when to take a step back. There was still a lot of work to be done.

“So,” Jane leaned forward, “who would you like to be during our time here?”

Supergirl’s eyes darted back to the therapist, and this time, she had an eyebrow raised, and a look of curiosity instead of surprise. It was as though she had never been asked such a question.

“Excuse me?”

“Who would you like to be? How should I refer to you? It sounds like there are two of you: Supergirl, and whomever you are when you’re not wearing that cape. Am I correct in my assumptions?”

The superhero looked stumped by the question. With her arms still crossed across her chest, she leaned back onto the couch, deep in though. A light smile formed across Jane’s face for barely a second, before it disappeared as quickly as it came.

Progress.

Silence fell heavily upon the room and Jane sat comfortably in the discomfort that was Supergirl. One of the superpowers of being a counsellor: she could sit in silence for as long as she needed to. Of course, her longest record was only five minutes, and that didn’t really count, seeing as her client counted the number of feelings in the feelings wheel instead of processing the moment… but that was another story for another time.

Jane grounded herself back in the room, and focused her attention back on her client.

 _Supergirl._  

She still wasn’t quite sure who she was dealing with.  The file she had been given was very, very brief.  Supergirl had also been very brief in her responses.

A minute and a half had passed.  It probably felt like the longest minute and a half ever to Supergirl.  Jane caught the way the superhero was playing at her cape.  She was fidgeting: a sign of discomfort, anxiety, or boredom.

-oOoOo-

Another minute and a half passed. Jane could hear the light ticking from the watch she wore on her left wrist, and from the way Supergirl eyed the ticking machinery, she probably wasn’t the only one. Taking note of the way Supergirl’s eyes seemed to have glossed over, Jane decided to break the silence.

“What’s going on for you right now?”

Supergirl glanced up quickly, blinking a few times to reorient herself.

“Excuse me?”

“Where’d you go there?”

Supergirl looked puzzled. Borderline confused, even. For a moment, Jane began to feel bad, but then she reminded herself of how this was her job: to query and disturb her clients greatly in the most supportive manner. Her former supervisor did tell her how the process of counselling wasn’t always going to be sunshine, lollipops and rainbows.

Silence fell on the two once more, and this time, before it could become stifling, it was broken by a light buzz that came from the top of Supergirl’s right boot. Without hesitation, the superhero reached down and pulled a phone out. With a few clicks, she glanced back up at Jane, and got to her feet.

“I have to go. Something’s come up. I—we—“

Supergirl paused, and a look of conflict flashed across her face.

“It’s okay.” Jane said, rising from the couch herself.

“Our time was coming to an end anyways. This just sped things up a bit.”

Another buzz was heard from Supergirl’s phone, followed up another, and another.

“That seems important. Go ahead. I’ll be sure to sign the documents. You came to our first session, and you cooperated. What is that, one down, two to go?”

Supergirl glanced down at her phone once more, and for half a second, Jane thought she saw regret on the hero’s face.

“You’re good at your job.” Supergirl complimented, before turning and walking towards the door. Before Jane could say anything in response, she had sped off.

The door was left ajar, and Jane slowly moved towards it to shut it, before she return to the documents spread across the coffee table. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, she walked past all the documents and towards the chair at her desk, where she sank into comfortably.

Despite how rushed and disorganized everything seemed to be, at least the DEO provided comfortable furniture.

Jane closed her eyes and breathed deeply as she began to count down from ten. When she reached zero, she counted back up to ten, before counting back down once more. Thirty seconds later, she opened her eyes, and felt herself grounded once more.

She rose from her desk and moved back towards the coffee table. Sitting down on the couch that she had resided in for the duration of their session together, she picked up the intake form that Supergirl had briefly gone through, and a pen to start filling it out.

-oOoOo-

_Intake Form:_

_**Identified Patient:** Supergirl._

**_1\. Presenting Concerns:  
_ ** **_(acute/chronic, duration, triggers, what helps, what worsens?, etc.)_ **

_Reported by DEO: Anger management. Trigger: Red Tornado. Destruction of said trigger appeared to have helped._

**_2\. Previous Counselling/Treatment:  
_ ** **_(helpful, unhelpful, where, when, what?)_ **

_Once, at a young age, post-traumatic event. IP cannot recall experience._

**_3\. Physical/Medical Information, Diagnoses, Medications, Family History:_ **

_No family history, clean medical background reported._

_**4\. Family:  
** **(members, relationships, dynamics?)** _

_Biological parents: deceased when IP was young (~13). Cousin: Superman, does not seem to interact with much as IP did not mention in detail, need more information. Foster dad: deceased shortly after being adopted. Foster mom: still alive, cannot decipher dynamic, need more information. (Foster) sister: very close, IP did not use the term ‘foster’ when referring to her sister._

**_5\. Lifestyle:  
_ ** **(vocation/education, appetite, sleep, energy, drugs, alcohol?)**

_Works full-time in addition to responsibilities as Supergirl. Appetite, sleep and energy appears to differ from the average individual. No drug or alcohol use reported._

_**6\. Support Network:  
**__**(who, level of support?)** _

_Two best friends from work who are aware of her responsibilities as Supergirl, and sister. Possibly Director Henshaw and DEO._

_**7\. Trauma/Abuse/Significant Life Events/Legal Involvement:  
** _ _**(car accident, witness or experienced crime, re-occurring?, etc.)** _

_Witnessed death of parents and destruction of home planet. Experienced cultural shock upon arrival to Earth. Witness possibly death of sister. Possible continual exposure to traumatic incidences while on duty as Supergirl._

_**8\. Suicide Ideation, Self Harm  
** **(past or current ideation, past attempt(s), protective factors, type/outcome of SH & frequency?)** _

_IP reported how she has not attempted suicide, but did not clarify if she has ever had thoughts of suicide. Seemed confident that self-harm was not an option for her; needs more information regarding why client is so confident about this topic._

_**9\. Goals For Counselling:** _

_Safe to return to duty._

**_10\. Plans/Follow-up/Further Directions/Questions/Notes:_ **

_Continue intake, explore what IP means by ‘safe to return to duty.’_

-oOoOo- 

Jane flipped to the next page and continued her note taking.

-oOoOo-

_Client Name: Supergirl_

_Date: November 30, 2015_

_Session #: 1_

**_S_** _ubjective or summary statement by client: Client advised that she has “dealt” with the presenting concern. Client reported that upon the destruction of the Red Tornado, she no longer felt angry and instead felt tired. Client advised that she did not use her powers for a number of years, and only recently began using them again. She reported that the main reason as to why things changed was to save her sister. Client advised that she arrived on earth twenty-four years later than expected. She reported that her foster family provided her with a lot of support as she adjusted to the new environment. Client did not respond when queried about identity._

**_O_** _bjective data or information that matches the subjective statement. Descriptions may include body language and affect: Client did not sit down unless therapist was. She had her arms crossed when discussing how she became Supergirl. Became fidgety and played with cape when asked how she would like to be referred to ask. Displayed surprise when given the opportunity to speak freely._

**_A_** _ssessment of the situation, the session, and the client, regardless of how obvious it might be based on the subjective and/or objective statements: It is of this writer’s opinion that the client has not been given the opportunity to speak freely before in the past. It is of this writer’s opinion that the client may possibly be displaying symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, but more information regarding the client’s sleep and diet will have to be explored. It is of this writer’s opinion that the client may have different parts to herself and different identities that she shares with others. It is of this writer’s opinion that the client should integrate or become more aware of these parts of her before returning to active duty._

**_P_ ** _lan for future clinical work. Should reflect interventions specified in treatment plan including homework assignments. Reflect follow-up needed or completed: Continue intake, and explore client’s goals. Check in with client and see how first session went. Continue building rapport._

 

_Jane Bennett, Psy.D_

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing fanfiction in well over a decade. Unbeta'd. The goal is to follow the series as closely to canon as possible until Supercat takes over. Reviews would be greatly welcome!


End file.
